. Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and lower California, with which are incorporated General ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and Field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds. Birds; Birds; 1887. CAPBIMULGIBJE: GOATSUCKERS. 447 lower end of the metatarsus, corresponding to the reversed position of the fourth toe, iind the upper part of the same bone is pe
. Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and lower California, with which are incorporated General ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and Field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds. Birds; Birds; 1887. CAPBIMULGIBJE: GOATSUCKERS. 447 lower end of the metatarsus, corresponding to the reversed position of the fourth toe, iind the upper part of the same bone is perforated by canals for flexor tendons. Tlie basal phalanges of the toes are short. The wing has 10 primaries, and short secondary coverts (contrary to the rule in Picarice) ; tlie tail 10 rectrices, soft and rounded in lyngida and Picumnidce, rigid and acuminate in Picida, where also a supplementary pair of spui'ious feathers is developed, making 12 in all. The nostrils vary: they are large and of peculiar structure in lyngidce, usually covered with antrorse plumules in the rest. The bill is straight or nearly so, hard and strong, acute or truncate, the mandibles equal; the tongue is lumbriciftjrm, and very gener- ally extensile to a remarkable degree, by a singular elongation of the bones and muscles (figs. 73, 74). The structure of the bony palate is unique among birds; it is called saurognathous by Parker (see p. 173). The salivary glands have an unusual development, in the typical species at any rate. The sternum is doubly- notched behind. A very strongly-marked group ; in some respects it approaches the Passerine birds more nearly than other Picarice do. However impossible it is to define any such group as the conventional Picarice, and how- ever difficult it may be to make three or any other small number of subdivisions, the very diversity of tlie forms enables us to define the families with ease. The student can never be in doubt to which (me of the six North American fa
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1887
